Bareilly, September 20
Preparing ground for the next year’s Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today urged upon the party workers to draw inspiration from 1857 and launch a “jail bharo” agitation to regain lost territory in the state.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi waves to party workers at the 'Nav Nirman’ rally at Bareilly on Wednesday. — PTI
photo

Koda wins trust vote
Ranchi, September 20
The UPA Ministry in Jharkhand led by Madhu Koda today won the vote of confidence 41-1 with the lone CPI-ML (Lib) MLA voting aginst the motion while the opposition NDA refused to participate in the process, alleging that the officiating Speaker has no power to conduct the trust vote.
Fortyone MLAs supporting Koda stood up when officiating Speaker Pradip Kumar
Balmuchu asked those supporting the confidence motion to stand up.

SC reserves judgement in Badal caseNew Delhi, September 20The Supreme Court today concluded arguments on the petitions of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and some Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, challenging their prosecution in corruption cases on the question of sanction and reserved its judgement.

Cyclonic storm kills 15 in West Bengal
Kolkata, September 20
Fifteen persons were killed and over 300 injured in a severe cyclonic storm that lashed West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts today as an alert was sounded in coastal districts with heavy rain forecast in the next 48 hours.

Boy killed in police firing
Jaipur, September 20
A 13-year-old boy was killed by a stray bullet when police opened fire on an alleged gambler and his associates after they attacked a patrol party in a village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, injuring seven policemen, an official said today.

Manual scavenging still a realityEradicate it by 2008, states told
New Delhi, September 20
Despite an Act banning it, manual scavenging continues to be very much an “obnoxious” reality in most states in the country.

India, UK to discuss energy cooperation
New Delhi, September 20
India needs to develop all energy sources, including alternative fuels like coal bed methane and gas hydrates, to sustain the demands of a rapidly growing economy.

Centre to fund project for MumbaiNew Delhi, September 20Providing relief to the Maharashtra Government, the Centre today decided to bear the entire expenditure of the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drainage Project
(Brimstowad) which will tackle the recurrent problem of flooding in the metropolis during monsoons.

HRD Ministry plans virtual universityNew Delhi, September 20The Ministry of Human Resource Development is aiming to virtually bringing the university to the students who may or may not have access to specialised higher education.

Bank to sue Amisha Patel
Mumbai, September 20
Canara Bank has issued a legal notice to actress Amisha Patel and her family members seeking recovery of dues amounting to Rs 11.75 crore, loaned to them for financing their business firm.

Foreign institutions too under quota regime
New Delhi, September 20
Even as the government is working on the Foreign Education Providers Regulation Bill, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh has made it clear that any foreign institution operating from within the Indian territory would have to conform to the reservation policy.

BJP allays fears of Jains, Buddhists on Gujarat BillNew Delhi, September 20Rallying behind the Narendra Modi government on the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2006, the BJP today asserted that it only laid down procedures to avoid post-conversion controversies and the fears raised by Buddhists and Jains were misplaced.

Move to preserve Lingam sparks row
New Delhi, September 20
It is faith versus science now. Adding another angle to the controversy brewing over the raising of the artificial Shivalingam at the holy cave of Amarnath this year, the Shri Amarnath Yatra Welfare Organisation has termed efforts being made by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) to preserve the holy Lingam through artificial means a sacrilege.

Cong has left Telangana issue to Sonia: Digvijay
Hyderabad, September 20
Making it clear that the Congress would not take BJP’s support on the Telangana issue, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh today announced that the PCC had resolved to leave the issue to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and warned party members of stern action if they continued to air their views in public even under provocation.

4 LeT men get 12-day remand
Ahmedabad, September 20
The four suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists arrested by the Gujarat Crime Branch over the past two days have been remanded in police custody till October 1.

3 more held
in Sabharwal murder case
Ujjain, September 20
Three more ABVP activists were arrested today for their alleged involvement in prof H S Sabharwal’s murder, taking the total number of arrests in the case to five.

Indians safe in Thailand
New Delhi, September 20
All Indians are safe in Thailand, a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

‘Pokhran made US take India seriously’
New Delhi, September 20
The 1998 Pokhran atomic tests made the US take India seriously and Washington decided to engage New Delhi in talks on strategic nuclear issues, a top official of the former Clinton administration has said.

CPI to fight EPF cutNew Delhi, September 20The CPI said today that it would oppose any move by the government to reduce the interest rate on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) from 8.5 per cent. “We will fight any such government move to bring down the EPF rate,” CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan told reporters here.

Bareilly, September 20
Preparing ground for the next year’s Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi today urged upon the party workers to draw inspiration from 1857 and launch a “jail bharo” agitation to regain lost territory in the state.

Addressing a mammoth rally at the Government Inter-College grounds in the heart of the city, Mrs Sonia Gandhi advised the Congress workers to break free of the defeatist mindset and challenge corrupt politicians whose motto was “jeb bharo” (lining their pockets).

“Please recognise the soul of Uttar Pradesh. It can provide immense strength. Those who talk of limitations and hopelessness are weak at heart and not prepared to face the rigours of electoral battle from a position of strength,” she said.

Withstanding extreme humidity and scorching sun, an impressive crowd turned up at the second ‘Nav Nirman’ rally in Bareilly. The Congress president had earlier launched the party’s electoral campaign in Kanpur on August 9 at the first ‘Nav Nirman’ rally.

Ridiculing Mulayam Singh Yadav’s slogan of “ Uttar Pradesh is Uttam Pradesh”, she said it was in fact a case of “Andher Nagri Chaupat Raja”(choatic state, useless ruler) and the state was in complete mess.

She called upon the people of Uttar Pradesh to demand an explanation from the ruling Samajwadi Party government regarding utilisation of huge funds that it was receiving from the Centre.

Ruing the decline of industry under the non-Congress rule, she said the largest rubber factory in the city — Synthetic and Chemical Ltd — closed down a few years ago rendering thousands of poor workers jobless.

“Please make it clear that those who do not care for the people will be taught a lesson by the very same people,” she remarked.

Assessing the mood of the audience that had a sizeable section of Muslims, Ms Gandhi underlined the “historical” steps taken by her government for upliftment of the minority community.

Ms Gandhi said the UPA government had for the first time set up a special ‘Ministry for Minority Affairs’ and the PM had set up a task group to study their problems.

Ms Gandhi paid rich tributes to the land of “heroic revolutionaries” like Azeemullah Khan, Nawab Bahadur Khan and many others.

Ranchi, September 20
The UPA Ministry in Jharkhand led by Madhu Koda today won the vote of confidence 41-1 with the lone CPI-ML (Lib) MLA voting aginst the motion while the opposition NDA refused to participate in the process, alleging that the officiating Speaker has no power to conduct the trust vote.

When Balmuchu asked those against to rise, none of the NDA legislators stood up as they were protesting against the officiating Speaker conducting the confidence motion.

They claimed that an officiating Speaker has no power to conduct the trust vote.

CPI-ML (Liberation) member Vinode Kumar Singh, however, rose to his feet and said his vote should be counted as against the motion. His party had decided yesterday to vote against the motion.

Balmuchu was appointed the officiating speaker by Governor Syed Sibte Razi as Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari had resigned soon after the fall of the Arjun Munda government on September 14.

Later, the house was adjourned sine die.

When asked why NDA members had not taken part in the House proceedings, Balmuchu told newsmen later that they wanted the election of the Speaker first.

Earlier, the Governor had directed the Koda government to take the vote of confidence on or by September 25, but the Cabinet decided to take it today.

Kamlesh Singh, Enos Ekka and Harinarain Rai are the only members of his Cabinet now.

Balmachu, who first ruled that the vote of confidence was supported by 41 members in favour and none against, later corrected the proceedings after the CPI-ML(Liberation) legislator, who was sitting in the Opposition benches, went to him and said he had voted against the confidence motion.

Earlier, as soon as Koda moved the motion, former Chief Minister Arjun Munda and former Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari demanded taking up election of a regular Speaker before the trust vote.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 20
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of the eastern freight corridor in Ludhiana on September 27.

He is also expected to inaugurate the Chandigarh-Morinda rail line and flag off a Jan Shatabdi connecting Amritsar and Hardwar, sources in Northern Railway said.

The Railway Ministry decided to develop the corridor connecting Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai to meet the increasing demand for freight loading. According to the Railway Budget, 2010 was set as target for completing the first phase of the corridor. The target is now 2011.

The corridor with computerised control was proposed at an estimated cost of Rs 22,000 crore.

Due to escalation, the cost is likely to touch Rs 25,000 crore.

Sources in the ministry said in the first phase of the corridor project, a separate freight corridor would be built from Ludhiana to Son Nagar in Bihar via Ambala, Saharanpur, Khurja and Allahabad.

New Delhi, September 20
The Supreme Court today concluded arguments on the petitions of former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and some Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leaders, challenging their prosecution in corruption cases on the question of sanction and reserved its judgement.

A Bench of Mr Justices Arijit Pasayat and S.H. Kapadia, however, remanded back to the Punjab and Haryana High Court the case of Nirmal Singh Kahlon for reconsideration as earlier it had erroneously included facts of some other case in it.

The apex court continued the stay on his trial till the high court considered his petition afresh.

The hearing was concluded amid yesterday’s offer of the Punjab Government that it had no objection to shift the trial in the cases against the SAD leaders, including Mr Badal.

In the wake of the offer, counsel for three SAD leaders Sewa Singh Sekhon, Rattan Singh Ajnala and Gurdev Singh Badal, whose cases were not in the Ropar court but were being heard by special judges in different places, also made a request to shift their trials to Chandigarh.

But this was strongly opposed by Punjab Advocate-General R.S. Cheema, who contended that the offer was made by the government in the wake of allegations about the appointment of Special Judge, Ropar, and it would not mean that the cases being tried in other courts should also be transferred.

The hearing in these cases stretched to nearly 10 days during which various questions of law were raised by counsel for the SAD leaders on grant of sanction, application of law pertaining to it, appointment of special judge at Ropar with powers to hear corruption cases from all over Punjab, setting up of Vigilance Bureau’s special branch in Mohali to probe cases against public servants in the state.

Though the offer of shifting trial came at the fag end of yesterday’s proceedings, nothing in writing was placed on record by the Punjab Government in this regard.

Kolkata, September 20
Fifteen persons were killed and over 300 injured in a severe cyclonic storm that lashed West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas and East Midnapore districts today as an alert was sounded in coastal districts with heavy rain forecast in the next 48 hours.

The storm, caused by the formation of a well-marked low pressure area over the northwest Bay and adjoining coastal north Orissa and gangetic West Bengal, left a trail of destruction in the two districts, razing thousands of dwellings, trees, power and telephones poles and damaging standing paddy.

The Sunderbans in South 24 Parganas district bore the brunt of the storm with 10 blocks seriously affected, prompting Sunderbans Development Minister Kanti Ganguly to rush with a rescue and relief team this morning.

State Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta and Relief Minister Murtaza Hussain told reporters that 12 deaths were reported from South 24 Parganas and one from East Midnapore and added that the toll might rise as reports from interior areas were yet to come in.

To a question, they said the toll may cross 20, adding that over 13,000 dwellings collapsed in the storm.

The state government has sanctioned Rs 3 crore for relief and rehabilitation in South 24 Parganas and Rs 1.50 crore for East Midnapore district in consultation with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, the Finance Minister said.

The Finance Minister said an alert had been sounded in the coastal areas in view of the forecast of more rain in the next 48 hours. He said a team of officials would be sent to the affected areas to assess the situation.
— PTI

Jaipur, September 20
A 13-year-old boy was killed by a stray bullet when police opened fire on an alleged gambler and his associates after they attacked a patrol party in a village in Bharatpur district of Rajasthan, injuring seven policemen, an official said today.

Tension flared up at Rareh village today and the locals staged a demonstration protesting the last evening’s incident, Superintendent of Police, Bharatpur, Anand Srivastava said.

He said the police opened fire in self-defence when a group of people, led by gambler Puran Saini, attacked the team and injured all the seven policemen, two of them critically.

Saini had planned the attack on the police team since he was warned by the local Station House Officer of strict action if he was caught gambling, Srivastava said.

The boy was standing in the crowd when a bullet hit him. He succumbed to his injuries in a hospital, the SP said.

Two police personnel, who received serious injuries in the attack, had been refered to the SMS Hospital here for treatment, Srivastava told PTI.

The situation is under control and no untoward incident has been reported from the village, he claimed.

The state government has announced a compensation of Rs 1 lakh for the kin of the victim.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 20
Despite an Act banning it, manual scavenging continues to be very much an “obnoxious” reality in most states in the country.

Recognising that the disgusting practice is very much a reality even 13 years after the passing of the Employment of Manual Scavengers and Construction of Dry Latrine(Prohibition) Act, the Centre has now asked all states to draw a list of manual scavengers — persons engaged in the shameful practice of lifting human excreta with their hands and carrying it — with the hope that welfare schemes will reach their rightful destination.

Estimates say that there are more than 3.2 lakh manual scavengers in the country. They continue to be very much a reality in the Capital. It is in practice Haryana, Punjab, Gujarat and on railway stations in most states. In its latest effort to eradicate manual scavenging, the Centre has set a deadline of 2008 and asked all states to address the issue on a priority basis and prepare a comprehensive list of manual scavengers complete with family details and addresses.

The Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Meira Kumar told the conference of welfare secretaries of states last week that unless the states prepared a list of manual scavengers with complete family details, the schemes for their upliftment could not be implemented. The manual scavengers and their dependents would be rehabilitated by March, 2009, she promised.

The ministry has also written to the Railway Ministry, asking it to ensure that manual scavenging is stopped at all railway stations. In turn, the Railways Ministry has expressed its helplessness, saying that it is not in a position to stop it at small stations where adequate facilities for cleaning compartments and railway lines did not exist.

As per the surveys undertaken by different states and UTs, there are 7,70,338 scavengers and their dependents in the country. Of these, 4,27,870 scavengers have been rehabilitated under a national scheme. There is also pre-matric scholarships for children of parents employed in unclean activities like manual scavenging, tanning, etc. Apparently a majority of states have not been showing adequate interest in the scheme, resulting with the Centre not getting enough proposals for the release of funds under the scheme from the states.

Meanwhile, the government is also in the process of finalising new schemes in which identified scavengers will be provided subsidy and loan for undertaking self-employment ventures. The scavengers will also be provided training. Banks will also provide loans to the target group and the National Safai Karamcharis Finance Development Corporation is given overall responsibilities for implementation, monitoring and coordination with banks and its state channelising agencies.

New Delhi, September 20
India needs to develop all energy sources, including alternative fuels like coal bed methane and gas hydrates, to sustain the demands of a rapidly growing economy.

Speaking at a workshop on alternative fuels in India’s energy future, Planning Commission Member Dr Kirit Parikh dwelt on the possibilities
surrounding various fuel sources in India’s quest for energy security. Participants at the workshop spoke of the progress in hydrogen research. SIAM Director General Dilip Chenoy said that technology was being developed for a 10 per cent blend of gaseous hydrogen in CNG.

In his inaugural address, British High Commissioner Sir Michael Arthur said energy security was becoming a global challenge and needs global cooperation. He said there was tremendous scope of energy cooperation between India and Britain and the issue will be discussed during Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s forthcoming visit to Britain.

He emphasised partnership between business, technology and governments to meet the challenges of energy security. The workshop had been organised by the CII.

New Delhi, September 20
Providing relief to the Maharashtra Government, the Centre today decided to bear the entire expenditure of the Brihanmumbai Storm Water Drainage Project (Brimstowad) which will tackle the recurrent problem of flooding in the metropolis during monsoons.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had assured the people of Mumbai to provide relief from the problem of flooding. The project is expected to cost Rs 1,200 crore.

Dr Singh chaired a meeting to review major projects for Mumbai. He directed the authorities to give a high priority to the city's development needs and address problems without delay.

Sources said the Prime Minister was not happy at the pace of various projects concerning Mumbai.

New Delhi, September 20
The Ministry of Human Resource Development is aiming to virtually bringing the university to the students who may or may not have access to specialised higher education.

Through the use of the National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning (NPTEL), the ministry is hoping to start a virtual university that will disseminate education to a wider population.

Taking note of the fact that educational programmes offered through Doordarshan/Gyan Darshan channels and through EDUSAT are accessible everywhere, the NPTEL coordinators have set up infrastructure that can sustain the proposal of setting up this university.

It has been pointed out that the “material developed will be freely available to everyone, whether he or she is a student or a practicing engineer or anyone interested in acquiring knowledge”.

The project, which is already underway hopes to cater to “thousands of talented students who are worthy of world-class education in engineering and technology”.

The objectives of the NTPEL programme are to deliver video and web-based contents for a total of 240 courses in engineering disciplines at the undergraduate level, including civil engineering, computer science and engineering, electrical engineering, electronics and communication engineering and mechanical engineering.

Mumbai, September 20
Canara Bank has issued a legal notice to actress Amisha Patel and her family members seeking recovery of dues amounting to Rs 11.75 crore, loaned to them for financing their business firm.

The notice has been sent to Amisha Patel, her mother Asha, father Amit, actor-brother Ashmit and their Nasik-based firm Messrs Jai Electronics, lawyer of Canara Bank Nishit Dhruv told PTI.

The notice, issued by M Dhruv and Co on September 9, has asked the Patels to pay the amount within seven days, failing which the bank would be compelled to take legal action by filing a recovery suit in an appropriate court.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 20
Even as the government is working on the Foreign Education Providers Regulation Bill, Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh has made it clear that any foreign institution operating from within the Indian territory would have to conform to the reservation policy.

Indicating that the foreign institutions cannot be left out of the quota ambit, the minister said, “The law of the land, whatever it is, has to be fulfilled”. He also said the Foreign Education Providers Regulation Bill, which has been referred to a Group of Ministers, was under discussion.

Mr Singh, however, pointed out that there was no proposal at the moment to put any cap on the fees for the students belonging to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in private educational institutions.

Contrary to the Ministry of Commerce’s suggestions for a more flexible approach for higher education institutions as part of measures to tap the trade potential in education services under the WTO regime, the HRD Ministry wants tough regulations on foreign education providers.

The Commerce Ministry had invited comments from all stakeholders on a host of issues such as whether and in what manner the country should allow the entry of foreign education providers.

It had pointed out for a need to have a viable financing model, with a mix of public and private participation, cost recovery through suitable tuition fees and access to loans for students that would help alleviate financial constraints faced by higher education institutions.

While the Commerce Ministry has been pitching for attracting FDI in the sector, the HRD Ministry has opposed the move.

New Delhi, September 20
Rallying behind the Narendra Modi government on the Gujarat Freedom of Religion (Amendment) Bill, 2006, the BJP today asserted that it only laid down procedures to avoid post-conversion controversies and the fears raised by Buddhists and Jains were misplaced.

The amendments passed by the Gujarat Assembly only provided explanation to the Freedom of Religion Act, 2003, whereby those wanting to convert voluntarily to another religion should apply with the district authorities, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar said here.

“This (Amendment) only will obviate future problems and the procedures will smoothen the process,” he added.

Regarding fears expressed by the Jains and Buddhists, Mr Javdekar said they were covered under the Hindu Code Bill passed by Parliament. “They will continue to be governed by the same regulation,” he said.

The Bill was yesterday passed by the Gujarat Assembly by a voice vote amid protests from the Opposition benches.

Meanwhile, Chairman of the All- India Confederation of SC/ST Organisations Udit Raj termed the Bill as a “retrograde step” and would affect the secular fabric of the country.

He condemned the clubbing of Buddhists and Jains with Hindus and said there would be widespread protests all over India and that Buddhists and Jains would never accept such a situation.

New Delhi, September 20
It is faith versus science now. Adding another angle to the controversy brewing over the raising of the artificial Shivalingam at the holy cave of Amarnath this year, the Shri Amarnath Yatra Welfare Organisation has termed efforts being made by the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) to preserve the holy Lingam through artificial means a sacrilege.

The organisation also threatened to “move the court if the idea was not dropped within a week”.

Supporting Mahant Deependra Giri, custodian of Chhari Mubarak of Lord Shiva, who resigned from the board this Friday, they called the issuance of the show-cause notice to the mahant objectionable.

“We fail to understand the sanity behind the idea and according to our understanding, the installation of the radiating cooling system in the holy cave is a challenge to the power of Lord Shiva which we will not bear at any cost. If this idea is not dropped, we will be compelled to move the court,” president of the organisation Rajinder Sharma told The Tribune from Ludhiana.

The SASB had sought and received proposals from various experts and private and public organisations in India and abroad to preserve the holy Lingam. These included using ice-skating rink technology, which allows ice to be preserved throughout the year, brine storage, ice-pack technology, use of freezing air, radiant cooling panel technology, air curtain and use of glass casing, etc.

In fact, Chief Executive Officer of the SASB Arun Kumar had said, “Preserving the conditions conducive to the formation of the Lingam is something that needs to be done. It has been done in the past as well, and is a standard practice in such shrines the world over”, adding that a couple of methods had been shortlisted by the SASB.

General secretary of the organisation Amarpal Sharma added that devotees wanted to know in which meeting the ideas were shortlisted and how many members of the board were present during the meeting. “We also want to know the names of the members who endorsed the idea,” he added.

Mr Sharma, who has been visiting the holy cave since 1987, said, “Never in the history any attempt was made by anyone to make the Lingam more impressive. This has happened the first time, which is why the mahant has been demanding either an inquiry by the CBI or a sitting Judge of the Supreme Court”.

The logic why the organisation is vehemently protesting against the preservation of the Lingam is simple. It says whether or not the Lingam is formed naturally and how long it remains is God’s will.

“We will resist any effort to preserve the holy Lingam through artificial means.... We are against any attempt to commercialise the yatra. It is not as if the board has not been doing good work but interfering in faith through science is not acceptable, global warming or no global warning. Before God, science has no value,” Mr Sharma adds.

Hyderabad, September 20
Making it clear that the Congress would not take BJP’s support on the Telangana issue, AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh today announced that the PCC had resolved to leave the issue to Congress President Sonia Gandhi and warned party members of stern action if they continued to air their views in public even under provocation.

Briefing newsmen on the emergency extended APCC executive and Congress Legislature Party meeting here, he said the meeting pledged to abide by Ms Gandhi’s decision on the issue and work for implementation among the people.

“The party is concerned about the issue of Telangana. We will double our efforts to achieve consensus on the issue,” he said, adding that it was unfortunate that the TRS which had signed a joint statement agreeing for constitution of the Second States’ Reorganisation Commission (SRC) prior to the elections and left the issue to Ms Gandhi for evolving a consensus after joining the UPA government, had left the UPA.

He said efforts were on to persuade TRS to rejoin the UPA government.

After the byelection to the Lok Sabha from Bobbili, the party would gather opinion from the party cadre at the grassroots level on the Telangana issue, Mr Singh, who addressed the media along with Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and PCC president K. Keshava Rao, said.

Maintaining that inspite of best efforts, consensus could not be reached among the UPA allies in the state, with the CPI, the CPM and the AIMIM opposing bifurcation of the state, he said “there is no question of the party taking support from the BJP”.
— UNI

Ahmedabad, September 20
The four suspected Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorists arrested by the Gujarat Crime Branch over the past two days have been remanded in police custody till October 1.

The four, Mohammed Khalid, Ilyas Memon, Maulvi Kari Muffidul and Siraj Ansari, who were part of a sleeper module, were presented before the Metropolitan Magistrate D.R. Bhatt last evening. The police had sought remand for 14 days, but the judge granted them 12-day remand.

Siraj and Illyas Memon are from Ahmedabad, Kari Muffidul was a senior cleric at a Suratmadrasa. Khalid Kashmiri is brother of Imran Kashmiri, who is the key person responsible for spreading LeT modules in Gujarat.
— UNI

The state CID, which is probing Sabharwal’s death after he was assaulted during student union poll here on August 26, had identified four suspects who were absconding. While three were arrested today, the fourth person — Vishal Rajoria — is yet to be traced.
— PTI

New Delhi, September 20
All Indians are safe in Thailand, a senior official of the Ministry of External Affairs said today.

Meanwhile, public sector airlines in from India today operated their flights to Bangkok normally in spite of a military coup in Thailand even though the Indian travellers to Thailand displayed caution by postponing their travel plans. While the Indian officials said their flight from Kolkata to Bangkok operated normally with 65 passengers flying out, a statement issued by Air India said their flights were operating normally even though the situation was being watched closely.

New Delhi, September 20
The 1998 Pokhran atomic tests made the US take India seriously and Washington decided to engage New Delhi in talks on strategic nuclear issues, a top official of the former Clinton administration has said.

“It is ironic but yes,” former Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott said here when asked whether the 1998 tests triggered the decision of the US Administration under President Bill Clinton to engage India in the talks.

Recalling that there were differences in India at that time on whether or not to conduct nuclear tests, he said there was a section here which said the country should demonstrate its nuclear weapon capability so that the US took it seriously. — PTI

New Delhi, September 20
The CPI said today that it would oppose any move by the government to reduce the interest rate on Employees Provident Fund (EPF) from 8.5 per cent. “We will fight any such government move to bring down the EPF rate,” CPI general secretary A.B. Bardhan told reporters here.

According to reports, the EPF authorities want to reduce the EPF rate from the present 8.5 per cent to 8 per cent as the current rate is “too high” and would lead to a ‘’huge deficit’’.

The CPI and the other Left parties will vehemently oppose the move, Mr Bardhan said adding that the government’s “intention would not be allowed to be fulfilled”.